Party Boat pool "irregularity"?

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by RC.

The problem with the internet is that anyone can post anything, and if they spin it right, others will pile on and before you know it, someone's opinion becomes fact.

I've followed this thread for days before posting and from what I read, you believe your fish was bigger than another, but the other fish beat yours in the pool. There are no FACTS, other than your opinion, to support this. Instead of addressing it immediately, you wait weeks and post your gripes here, which causes others to pile on and speculate and wonder what boat would do such a horrible thing, even though there is NO PROOF that anything inappropriate occurred. You are also now boycotting a boat that you were otherwise happy with, because you lost a pool where you think your fish looked bigger than another (again, no proof that your fish actually weighed more).

I have probably weighed a thousand or more pools in my days working deck and countless times the fish that looked bigger did not weigh more and lost. It happens. I'm not so naive to think that shenanigans never happen, but you have provided no evidence other than "my fish looked bigger" to show that you were cheated. I do respect your decision to not name the boat because there are some sheep here who would follow blindly in your boycott, hurting someone's business when they probably did nothing wrong.

RC

OK, so its OK for the mate to be rummaging through his buddies bucket for the largest fish in it .. Got it

Its ok that he never centered the scale.. understood.

NO problem that that scale never budged.. It was locked angled up.. fine..

I have never seen that before.. the scale always moves a little if fish are close..
Add to that the fact he took my fish off the scale in two seconds, never saying a word or looking at me. Lot of red flags.

I don't know how long you have been fishing my friend, but I have been at it for close to 60 years, and have caught a lot of fish, and over the years participated in a lot of pools, and won my share..
I know shady when I see it, and this event was by far the worst.
When you get a "racer" looking sea bass and a heavy bodied knot head with thick shoulders that are the same length, the heavy bodied sea bass is always heavier.. this isn't my first rodeo...
Lots of years doing this, and I know what I witnessed, your thoughts not withstanding.

I have seen a pool fraud one other time, as stated, when a fish was brought from a downstairs cooler, looked partially frozen, and was placed in the "winners" bucket, who happened to be the woman who ran the galley's son.. Many years ago, but I watched it happen...

This is the only time its happened to me. Others have stated similar things have happened to them.. It DOES happen.. Not all the time, not even often perhaps.. So you think I am lying fine, i have been called worse.. Eveyone else that related similar stories.. Liars as well?..
I'll say it again.. I am not "bitching".. Its happened many months ago, and I should have done something right there on the spot, but I am a pretty timid type when it comes to this sort of thing... In case you haven't read all of this thread, it was an interesting topic I felt, at a time when there is not a lot of fishing "stuff" to discuss.. Lots of good replies as well don't you think?.. If you don't like the topic, great- simply stay out it the way I stay out of topics I don't like..
There are many good topics about salt water angling that might be enjoyed by the knowledgeable members here. Post one. I am sure it would be appreciated.

meanwhile, this one is still active, still civil, and judging by most of the responses both here and on my PM, is still being enjoyed.. my apologies for the fact that you are not enjoying it..

there are those in this world that take advantage and manipulate monetary situations for their own benefit my friend, I hope you realize that.... bob